


A Time To Celebrate

by BuryTheCastle



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam (Voltron) Lives, Give Keith the love he deserves 2k19, Happy Birthday Keith, I'm super late but I tried, M/M, Minor Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Post Season 7, Pre-Relationship, Surprise Party, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 02:14:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21218879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuryTheCastle/pseuds/BuryTheCastle
Summary: Keith's more than willing to let his birthday pass without any celebration. Lance, on the other hand, is not.





	A Time To Celebrate

**Author's Note:**

> I've literally been trying to get this out since the day before Keith's birthday but alas here I am. My brain would just not let me write no matter what. Oh well. I may be late but I still wanted to get something out for the best boy's birthday.

Krolia ended up breaking the news.

It was one of those rare days that the paladins had time off from the near constant work from the recovery efforts on Earth. Voltron was needed at almost every corner of the planet to salvage the wreckage and provide relief, and the work was starting to take its toll. Days blurred into days, weeks into weeks until months had passed. The paladins were starting to feel burned out.

Shiro proposed they relaxed their duties a little to allow the paladins some time to recover. It wasn’t a complete break, though. Between meetings and, at Keith’s insistence, regular training, the paladins were still keeping on top of their form and plans. Still, the extra free time allowed them to spend time with loved ones, do something fun, or just _ breathe _.

Lance was taking some time for himself, relaxing in the common area of the Garrison suite Team Voltron shared when Krolia walked in. For as long as they spent together en route back to Earth, to two never shared much conversation. Still, as intimidating as she could initially come off, there was something in the way she looked at Lance that put him at ease. Almost like there was a sense of familiarity there. Lance wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he was glad to be on the good side of his rival’s (and secretly, crush’s) mother.

She nodded a quick greeting before taking a seat in one of the plush chairs, checking something on her communicator. Lance went back to scrolling on his phone. After a few minutes, Krolia broke the comfortable silence with a thoughtful hum.

“Keith’s birthday is tomorrow,” she remarked.

Lance’s head whipped around. Krolia blinked at his wide-eyed stare, looked down at her communicator, then flashed the screen in Lance’s direction. In large text, it displayed _10/22_.

“He was born on the twenty-third day of the tenth month.”

Sometimes Lance really wanted to strangle the Black Paladin. Lance hadn’t known it was his birthday. He didn’t think any of them knew, except Shiro most likely. Keith never mentioned it before. Why hadn’t he said anything? Except, even as he thought it, he already knew why. He could already hear it.

_ We’re in the middle of a war, Lance. We don’t have time for birthday parties. Besides, it’s not important. _

Like hell it isn’t.

“Krolia,” he called, pulling her attention from her communicator. “I have a plan.”

* * *

Shiro heard him before he saw him.

“Shiro!” Lance whined.

Shiro paused where he was walking. At his side, Adam shot him an amused look. Shiro huffed a little under his breath. He knew that tone. It was a tone that, on the castleship, would immediately send him into “space dad” mode as Lance and Pidge liked to call it. (Dad? Really? He wasn’t even that much older than them.)

“Your kid’s calling,” Adam teased. Shiro really regretted telling about that.

“Alright,” Shiro sighed as Lance caught up to the two, “who did what?”

“Keith.”

“Naturally.”

“And you!” He pointed an accusing finger in Shiro’s direction.

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “Me?”

“Yes.” Lance looked around the room, likely checking that the Black Paladin was nowhere in earshot. Lance leaned in a little bit closer. “Why didn’t you tell us Keith’s birthday was tomorrow?”

Adam laughed. Shiro sighed in relief, thankful that he didn’t have to settle an argument between the paladins. Their adventures in space had matured them far beyond their years, but every once in a while their true ages showed through. It was both a blessing and a curse.

“He made me swear not to. Said he knew everyone would make a big deal and we ‘didn’t have time for that,’” Shiro said, emphasizing his point with air quotes.

Lance let out a long, loud groan, muttering something in Spanish under his breath. “I need a favor Shiro. Do you think you can get us a room somewhere?”

Shiro shared a brief look with Adam. Attention back on Lance, he crossed his arms. A knowing look gleamed in his eyes. “I take it that you need a room to throw Keith a party?”

Lance nodded. “I mean, as good a party as I can with a day’s notice.”

“And why do you want this party so bad?” Shiro asked.

Shiro could practically see Lance’s brain stutter. He tried to play it off cool but there was no denying the slight blush to his cheeks.

“Oh, y’know,” he said hastily, rubbing at the back of his head. “It’s always work this, work that. We need to let loose every once in a while and have some fun.” He gave the pair a hopeful look.

“Oh,” Adam chimed in, “it has nothing to do with impressing the boy you’ve been dancing around since you were twelve?” Shiro hid his laugh behind a cough and elbowed his boyfriend for good measure. Adam looked completely unapologetic.

If Lance was blushing before, his face was practically glowing now.

“Wha-!” he sputtered. “No, no, no, no, no! Not true at all.” He frantically waved them off. “I just want to do something nice for the guy.”

Then Lance smiled, a smile so fond. “Keith’s always working so hard. I just want to show him how much we appreciate him.”

Shiro recognized that smile. It was a smile Shiro saw in the mirror when he thought of Adam. It was a smile that graced Keith’s face whenever he walked in on Lance goofing off with Hunk and Pidge, playing with Kosmo, or telling exciting stories to children on the latest planet that Voltron offered its assistance. It was pure, unadulterated love. He only hoped it wouldn’t be long before the two saw it in each other.

Shiro placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, a soft smile on his face. At his side, Adam grinned. Lance’s face brightened.

“So, what’s the plan?”

* * *

Keith felt a headache coming on. He glared at the clock on the wall, cursing every minute that passed.

_ …twenty-eight…twenty-nine…annnnd thirty. _

Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes Keith waited and not a single paladin showed up to the training room. It’d be one thing if it were just one, the offender running some extra laps or extra drills to make up for it. But the entire team? He hadn’t seen such disastrous discipline since they were first thrust into space to fight in a foreign war.

Keith checked his communicator again. He double checked that, yes, he did in fact inform the team that there was training today, and yes, they had all seen the message. He’d even reiterated it at lunch. He muttered some curses under his breath as he shoved the communicator back into his pocket.

At thirty-five minutes past, he was about to go commandeer the Garrison’s PA system when he saw the flash of a familiar jacket pass by the door.

_ Oh no you don’t. _

Keith made a dash for the door, but Lance was nowhere in sight. He looked back towards the empty room before stalking in the direction Lance would’ve gone. When he turned the corner, the hallway was empty, save for the just the flash of Lance’s sleeve turning yet another corner.

“Lance,” Keith growled. Never had Lance tried so hard to get out of training. Keith was gonna bring him back even if he had to physically drag him there. Same went for the rest of the team. He jogged after him. He turned the corner and was met with a dead end and no Lance. There were no doors or windows he could’ve possibly escaped from. Just an empty corridor.

“How di-?”

Keith was cut off by a familiar cracking sound. Before his brain could catch up, he felt a hand on his arm and then nothing.

When he opened his eyes, he was in a room full of smiling faces.

“Surprise!” They all cheered. Keith blinked. At his side, Lance gave him the most dazzling smile. He pulled him in slightly.

“Happy Birthday, Keith,” he said softly.

Around the room, his friends all echoed his sentiments. Pidge and Matt stood by their parents, wearing some silly party hats with the voltron symbol drawn on in red. Hunk stood proudly over a two-tiered cake. It was beautifully decorated with red and black detailing, _ Keith _ written on it in a neat cursive. Allura, Romelle, and Coran were wearing party hats of their own. No doubt, at least one of the Holts had assured them that it was a vital Earth tradition. Shiro had his arm around Adam’s waist, both men smiling at Keith with pride shining in their eyes. Acxa, Veronica, and the MFEs were there. Griffin didn’t quite look happy to be there, but he didn’t seem unhappy either. Kinkade had his camera out, capturing the entire affair. Even Kolivan was there, standing off in a corner with a proud-looking Krolia. He had on one of his rare smiles. Behind them was a table with a small pile of presents. Kosmo yipped happily at Keith’s feet.

Keith’s brain was still trying to process everything. All of this….all of them were here for _ him _?

“How did,” He looked at Shiro and Adam. “Did you?”

Shiro shook his head. “You have Lance to thank for this.”

Lance grinned sheepishly. “I had a lot of help.”

“Yeah,” Pidge called, “a little warning next time. Lance was practically running around all night.” That earned some laughter from around the room. Lance glared at her, his cheeks turning a light pink.

Keith was still in disbelief. “How did you know?” He asked Lance. Lance smiled and nodded his head towards the galrans.

“Did you think I’d forget my son’s birthday?” Krolia asked as she approached her son. Lance backed off a little as Krolia put hands Keith’s shoulders and pulled him close. Her hands slipped from his shoulders to cup his cheeks. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and whispered, “Your father would be proud of the man you’ve become, just as I am.”

And that was enough to break the spell. This was all real. His friends, his _ family _ , were here. His _ mom _ was here to wish him a happy birthday, not in some wishful fantasy in his childhood, but live and in the flesh. So many people cared enough to run around last minute just to celebrate _ him _. Tears sprung to Keith’s eyes, and he quickly hid them in his mother’s embrace.

“Thank you,” he whispered to Krolia. Louder, to the rest of the room, he said, “Thank you, all of you.” When he locked eyes with Lance, he only hoped his eyes would convey how deeply grateful he was. When Lance smiled back, Keith was positive that the message was received.

After a moment, Lance dimmed the lights and Hunk started to light up the candles on the cake. Lance pulled Keith towards where the guests were waiting. He deposited Keith front and center before the cake. “Make a wish,” he told him before joining the others.

At first, Keith didn’t know what to wish for. Everything he could’ve wanted was right here. But when he looked at all of the smiling faces around the room, one thought came to mind.

_ I wish that we all could be together like this for a long, long time to come. _

* * *

The party had long since wound down. Lance could say without a shred of doubt that it was about the most fun any of them had had in months. Full on Hunk’s delicious cake, Matt turned on some music and the real fun began.

The Holt siblings danced the dorkiest dance Lance had ever seen, even pulling their father in at one point. Colleen fondly shook her head at her family. Coran decided to show off some Altean party dancing, pulling a reluctant Acxa in to join him. Veronica eyed the galran’s stiff movements with the barest hint of a blush on her face. Lance nudged her pointedly, meeting her glare with a wink. She decided to take pity on the galran and pulled her away to dance in lieu of addressing her brother’s teasing. Romelle and Allura danced together, laughing and having fun. Kosmo made his rounds, alternating between bouncing around the dance floor, nosing at the chatting pairs around the corner for attention, and begging for scraps of food at the snack table.

Lance’s greatest accomplishments was getting Keith to join in. Lance found him hanging back in a corner talking with Shiro and Adam. Lance grabbed his hand and asked him to dance with him. Keith hesitated at first, but with some encouragement from Shiro, let himself be pulled onto the dance floor. At first, he was as stiff as Acxa had been. Eventually though, he started to follow Lance’s lead and let himself go and have fun. People join in with and around the pair. At one point, Pidge even managed to wrestle Keith into one of the party hats. Kinkade snapped a picture of that.

Lance didn’t need a picture though. The look of pure joy as Keith let himself relax and have fun with his friends would no doubt be etched forever in Lance’s brain.

When the night came to a close, the paladins stayed behind to help clean. Keith had tried to pitch in but was promptly shut out by everyone he approached. That didn’t stop him from hanging around.

“Hey, Lance?”

“Honestly Keith, I’ve never seen someone so adamant about cleaning.” Lance put down the plates he was gathering and turned, prepared give Keith another lecture about how they should let him spoil him on his birthday. Before he could get a word out, a solid weight crashed right into his arms, holding onto him tight.

“Thank you,” Keith whispered, voice thick with emotion. Lance held on tighter. He never wanted to let go.

Without a doubt, he would do this year after year so Keith never forgot how much he was loved.

**Author's Note:**

> While this is technically my first vld fanfiction posted, I actually have another one written. I wrote a piece for The Stars Align Zine many months ago and just never got around to posting it. Maybe one day I will. Oh well. That being said, I'm currently working on another vld piece, a vld bnha au. So yeah, be on the lookout for that!


End file.
